Closed by ice



n w h R. A. CHESEBROUGH..

Steam Heater Patented June 1, 1869;

fitted can.

ROBERT A. CHESEBROUGH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 90,7 27 dated June 1, 1869.

MODE OP PREVENTING CANALS, 8(0, PROM BEING- CLOSED BY ICE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:.

Be it known that 1, ROBERT A. CHESEBROUGH, of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Preventing Canals or Water-Courses from being Ulosed by-Ice; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled. in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a canal or water-course, to which my improvement is applied.

Figure 2 is a cross-section.

Figure 3 shows an enclosure for covering a lock or other parts of a canal.

The object of this invent-ion is to preserve canals or other water-courses from becoming closed by the formation of ice in cold weather, as, for example, in the winter-season.

I accomplish this Object by keeping the water at a temperature above the freezing-point, using steam or other heat, thereby preventing the formation of ice,

and keeping the water in a tit state for the purposes of navigation.

1n the example of ruyinvention represented in figs.

.1 and 2, I have shown two steam-pipes, a, placed upon the bottom of a canal, for the purpose of giving out heat to the water and preventing it from becoming coldenough to freeze. Said pipes communicate with a steamboiler located along the canal, either beneath the surface of one of its banks or elsewhere, at a convenient place.

As the intelligent engineer or mechanic will know how toconnect said pipes with a boiler, it is not necessary to give any further explanation thereof.

The pipes are from a quarter of a mile to a half of a mile or more in length, according to the amount of water contained in the canal, or according to the climate where the canal is situated, or the severity of the season.

The ends of the pipes open directly into the water, the pressure of steam being kept at from ten to twenty pounds, or higher, if necessary, to overcome the pressore of the water against the steam in the pipe.

A single steam-pipe may be used, or two, shown in this example, ora greater number than two, according to the heating-power or heatingsurfn-ce required, and a single pipe of a considerable diameter may be used, instead of two or moreof smaller diameters, according to the judgment or preference of those in charge.

.Instead of letting the steam escape at the ends of the pipes, it may be allowed to escape through perforations in the sides of the pipes, throughout their length, in which case their ends maybe closed or supplied with valves.

Steam-traps may be used in connectionwith said pipes, if desired.

Where two steam-pipes are employed, they may each be about two inches in diameter, but I do not wish to limit myself in respect to the sizeor the numbers of the pipes. They may be laid straight, as here shown, or in serpentine course, the latter method of laying being preferable in looks, and also in basins, and in wide levels between adjacent locks, and in such places a double amount of pipe may be employed, the same being laid in serpentine courses, or made with numerous branches.

I cover or enclose portions of the canal, for example, the locks, and, if necessary, short levels between adjacent locks, with a temporary building, 12, whose walls or roof may be made in part transparent, as is represented in fig. 3, and its upper end made so as to slidenp and down, to allow boats to enter the same. Its lower end may also be made movable vertically, if desired. This shelter aids to keep the temperature of the water above the fi'eezin'g-point, by shutting oli the air immediately about the lock from'the outer air. Additional steam-pipes may, if desired, be placed within the building, along its walls or elsewhere, to keep the air at the required temperature to prevent the formation of ice on the gates and valves of the lock.

' The-lock-buildings may be extended so as to afl'ord dwelling-room for the lock-tenders and their families, and the portions which cover the locks, that is to say, the upper parts or roofs, may be made removable, so

that they can be taken away in warm weather and I replaced in cold weather, the side walls beiugallowed to remain, if it is preferred to make themof a permanent character. This mode of enveloping locks and levels between adjacent locks, affords shelter for the lock-tenders, and prevents the locks and intermediate short levels from being clogged by heavy falls of snow. Instead of steam, hot'air can be used, if preferred.

The steam-boilers, or hot-air furnaces, where the latter are used, areplaced at proper distances apart throughout the length of the canal or water-course which is to be preserved from ice.

Instead of locating steam-boilers at each half mile, it will be found an economy of fuel to substitute heating-furnaces at more frequent points along the canal, and use only one steam-boiler on each level, or, where the levels are short, one boiler for several levels. In this case the pipe may continue in one unbroken length for a long distance, and issue from the bed of the canal at such frequent points on its banks, as the heatingfurnaces may be located at.

The pipe enters the furnace, and connects with a coil or worm therein, which is heated over a hot fire; it

then issues from the heating-furnace, descends imme-.

diately into the canal, and continues on to the next furnace, where the heating-operation is repeated.

By using a long coil of pipe in the furnace, and a jing-furnaces located at the proper distances from each -other in the manner just described. Air is, however,

such a poor conductor of heat, that its use for this purpose 'may not be found advantageous.

It is not necessary that the heating-pipes should extend throughout the entire length of the canal. Each section of pipe may be connected with its own boiler or furnace, acting independently of the other sections, and intervals, of from one thousand feet to half a mile, may occur in the canal, between the sections, in which no pipe 'need be laid, the constant flow of water in the canal equalizing and distributing the heat over the entire surface. The lengths of these intervals will depend upon the severity of the climate, and the experience hereafter acquired by the practice of this invention.

The application of this improvement may be varied by increasing the-number of independent boilers. or

furnaces along the route of the canal, and decreasing the length of the pipes used, so that they be barely long enough to convey the heated steam, water, or air the heatmay be absorbed in the water, and none of it escape in the air.

In practice, the chief desideraturn will be to communicate to the water in a canal the greatest amount tially as and-for the purpose described.

' RQB T. OHESEBROUGH.

Witnesses:

Geo. F. SOUTHERN, J. VAN Ssnrvoonn.

under the surface of the water in the canal, ,so'that all of evenly-distributed heat,at .the least possible con transparent, and itsvends movable vertically, substan-' 

